Design is predictive, design is adaptive, and design is transformative. With each passing year, change across industries occurs and forecasters take a look at the way tides are turning to predict what will come next.

As we enter into 2019, we’ve researched and compiled a list of some of the most expected trends in graphic design.

Illustration For starters, illustration was big in 2018, but it is expected to be even more dominant in 2019. The value of bespoke artwork can make a brand stand out of the crowd and create brand awareness. At times, illustration can create higher conversion rates than that of photography. Many brands have created consistent illustrations such that a consumer can recognize the brand even without a logo in proximity. To name a few, just take a look at illustrations from Dropbox, Google, and Mailchimp.

Simply Put In an increasingly digital world, sometimes less really can be more. Many companies are rebranding with logos that are more simple than their previous iterations, and have prioritized the use of simple graphics and/or custom typography to get their message across. The trend towards minimalism is noticeable across logo, web and packaging design.

Atypical Layouts With the usage of typography, 3D rendering and geometric shapes, asymmetry is being implemented in graphic design. Although a balanced composition is often desirable, asymmetry can direct attention strategically to convey a message or entice an action.

Gradients Back in 2016, the world freaked out when Instagram dropped its retro style logo and replaced it with a pink, orange and yellow gradient box with a camera icon. And, that was just the beginning of the trend. In 2019, the usage of gradients will continue strongly and be combined with pops of bold color, especially hues of blue and purple.

Galactic Feels Along with the usage of metallics, many companies are bringing galactic elements into their branding, mostly through their website designs. Cosmic effects with blues, violets and even black backgrounds offer a truly captivating effect, especially as screen resolutions and display capabilities become continuously more enhanced.

Authentic photography For when illustrations aren’t in the queue, the usage of photography is of course undeniable. But rather than opting for highly styled and edited stock photography, the medium is moving for a more authentic feel. This means that more stock photos are becoming “un-stocky,” or made to look like they were candid and sometimes even shot on a phone.

What’s to Come All forms of design, whether it be fashion, product, graphic and the like, go through cycles, phases, and moments of innovative breakthroughs. While some stick around for a good while, others happen to be flashes in the pan.

Yet, as always, it’s exciting to see what new and inventive ideas are brought to light with each passing day. Cheers to good design in a new year!